Tuesday, March 29, 2016

By now you would have all seen the DT kit Liz sent all of us. From mine I have created a mixed media layout and with the scraps a card. Hope you like :)

First up is the layout.
Last year my friends from nursing all got together for a weekend away in Hanmer Springs and we worked out it had been 15 years since all four of us had been together. Such a fun weekend and lovely to know that we all got along like we were first year nursing students again :)

I created the background by dry brushing on white gesso and then layered a script stencil over the top with black gesso. A bit of random stamping with several stamps and distress glitter and the background was done.

Here you can see the different layers and the jumbled black thread I threw on there as well. The white button was one the Artful Embellies - I stamped the reverse of the button with stazon ink.

Another little close up for you. I love those circle stamps from Finnabair!

Heres the card made from the leftovers. Simple but effective! The lily is one of the Heartfelt Creations stamp and die sets - Liz can get these in for you ;) - this was the first time Ive attempted to colour them, I used pencils and blended the colours with baby oil - theres a great tutorial on pinterest to do it :)

Sunday, March 27, 2016

Hi all, Diane here. It's been a crazy few weeks. A lot of late nights and all thanks to this little challenge. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. I loved it all, the challenge, the late nights and the messy craft table. It was all worth the look on my daughter's face when I finished.As you already know we were all given the same kit to work with from Kaisercraft's True Love Collection

I decided to make an exploding box for my daughter using the green cardstock as the base and the black cardstock as the lid. I used Lindy's Stamp Gang sprays "Merry-go-round Green" and "Raspberry Lemonade" to shade the white cardstock so it would match the project. I really like using Lindy's sprays. They would have to be one of my 'must have' products.

I experimented with the metal leave and the sprays to try get a leave design on the card stock but it wasn't too effective. If you look closely you can see it - worth a try.

Most of the embellishments provided I used on the lid or for my center piece inside so I had to improvise with what I had left over to make my own butterflies, flowers, lace etc to embellish the tags, around the outside of the box and the inside pages.

I really enjoyed completing this challenge but I think the part I have enjoyed the most is seeing the amazing ideas the rest of the design team have come up with using the same products.

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

I was so excited receiveingmy parcel - it arrived at 7am - and the end of the day from work could not come fast enough so I could start my first challenge on the design team.

And happiness is .... flowers, ribbon ..... pretty colours ......

For my first layout, I used the white cardstock as my background. I then cut down and distressed the edges of the green cardstock. I have used a little gesso and masked with a patterned stencil and then splattered a little orange ink on the green. I mounted the photo on black and orange cardstock. Cut square frames from the True Love My Sweetheart paper and the True Love My Friend paper, used a 6 x 6 piece of the True Love My Love paper. The I Love You Banner was cut out from the heart on the True Love My Dearest paper. The sentence at the bottom of the layout was taken off the bottom of that same paper.

Next I fussy cut some flowers from True Love My Love paper, which I then arranged with the ribbon and flowers that we received.

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

The Design Team were all given the same mini kit full of cute embellishments and some lovely papers from the Kaisercraft True Love collection.

The challenge was to create anything we like using the products provided. I knew immediately what I wanted to do with my kit. I have being playing alot with my Silhouette Cameo and found a cut file for a shadow box from designer Lori Whitlock.

The shadow box took 6 sheets of white cardstock to create. The cameo did all the cutting and scoring, which left me to do the folding and gluing. Lori Whitlock has video tutorials on You Tube for her 3D projects so it was fairly easy to construct.

Using the embellishments and papers from the kit, and a little bit of black ink, this is what I came up with. I am thrilled with the end result. Now to find somewhere to hang it...

Monday, March 21, 2016

Hello there! Lisa here, with my first DT post for the new 2016 team (although I'm still the same old me!) Liz set us all a challenge: to use an identical package of goodies and see what different creations each of us could come up with. Projects like this are always a lot of fun, because it's cool to see how different people utilise the exact same products and come up with fresh new ideas and designs.

This was the selection of products we were all assigned: a fabulous array of papers and embellishments from Kaisercraft's True Loverange.

With my pack, I put together a couple of layouts. My first uses a pale lime green cardstock as a background, upon which I've layered some doilies, and a section of the My Preciousdesign-- love that botannical look! I added my photo on top (the husband and the fur kid on the bridge at Saltwater Creek walkway), and then placed a cluster of embellishments on the left- including some wood veneer and a word tag I cut out from the My Dearest sheet.

I distressed the edges of the papers, and then finished off with some ink splatters to tie in all the darker-coloured elements and balance the touch of florals with a masculine element. :) A closer look is below:

My second layout has white cardstock as the starting point, and then a mixture of the My Darling, My Friend, My Sweetheart, and True Love papers pieced together to form a central base and frame for my photograph.

Again, I distressed the edges of the papers (using this fab wee gadget here) and added embellishments in the form of a doily, some paper flowers, a tag, some ribbon and a wooden veneer piece. I also added a few extra flowers I fussy-cut from the True Love sheet. The word sentiment was cut from the selvedge edge of one of the larger sheets-- I love how Kaisercraft include extra little elements like that in their collections. :)

A couple of closer shots are below:

And that's it! You can find the True Love collection here, and make sure to check out thr blog over the next week or so to see what other wonderful creations the rest of the design team come up with for the challenge. :)

Sunday, March 20, 2016

Debi here, excited to be posting my first official post showcasing something new for the DT challenge, which contained a fair few goodies!

I have to confess, these colours and papers wouldn't of been part of my normal choices, but that's what makes a challenge, right?

I made 2 things; first up a 12 x 12 LO.

To soften and grunge the red, I added some white paint - heavily stencilled on, this softened the red but also added some extra texture.

12 x 12 Layout

I've then distressed, layered and added gold paint to highlight and frame the photo. Finally adding the pretty flowers and the pretty bits and bobs, including some extra ones I made with some of the red cardstock from the kit.

Details

I do love grunging things up a bit, so to tone down the colours of the flowers they got similar treatment as the paper, some white acrylic paint and then some glitter.

detail, handmade roses

Detail, Layers

There was still quite a bit of paper left, so I just quickly through together this little kraft gift bag, some some of the scraps. Easy to do, but I think very effective.

Gift bag

I had fun creating these 2 creations, I hope that you are all enjoying the last days of Summer, until next time, Debi x

Saturday, March 19, 2016

Hi everyone
Now that we've finished welcoming the Design Team for 2016, we've got them started on a challenge. Everyone on the team has been sent everyone the same mini pack of Kaisercraft True Love papers and coordinating embellishments.

The team have been given complete freedom to create whatever they like with the kit, so we're looking forward to seeing a mix of cards, layouts and projects. Follow us on this journey for the next 2 weeks and find out what style our designers' prefer.

We have also sent a pack to the winner of our Facebook competition and and she will be our guest designer, featuring on the blog later this month. We can't wait to see what everyone comes up with!

Thursday, March 17, 2016

Hi all!
I am really excited to be on the Artfull Crafts Design Team. I am also part of the ArtfullCrafts staff, working there since 2009 Or should I say I have been a customer since 2009 as my wages go right back in the shop. I am sure that is why they still keep me around lol.

I am originally from Los Angeles California and moved to Temuka 27 years ago when I married my kiwi boy Calvin. We have two fur babies Oscar a Dalmatian and CJ Pusspuss Patrick our 15 year old Tabby cat.

I started scrapbooking about 12 years ago and that of course has lead to card making , project life layouts, mixed media projects, making mini albums from scratch and I love coloring with my copic markers so much so that I own 216 markers ouch! Don't tell my husband lol.

Where do you get your inspiration from?
I get my inspiration from pictures I take and believe me I take so many photos. I love finding the right paper for the picture. I also love looking at Pinterest and different blogs for ideas. I enjoy looking at Gabrielle Pollaco and My Sisters Scrapper on you tube, where before I know it, I have spent 2-3 hours.

What are your favorite brands?
My favorite brands are Graphic 45 (although I'm my of a collector as the papers are way to pretty to cut) Simple Stories, Tim Holtz, Prima , Imagine If chipboard and of course Kaisercraft .

What scrapbooking tools/products can you not do without?
My scissors, tape, Tim Holtz ruler and my copic markers. As I mentioned before I have over 200 of them.

What do you hope to try or improve on this year?
I am going to try and be more adventurous and not be a perfectionist lol. I have to be willing to get dirty and use more sprays, gels and pastels.
I must say doing Finnabair's class in March took me out of my comfort zone and opened my eyes to a whole new world of mixed media projects. I loved it even though my bank balance might not.

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

I feel sure by now, you will all be fed up of seeing me here - there's one thing I can say about Liz and Graham though, they sure have persev
erance!! Yes, I am still part of this amazing team and I must say I have enjoyed the journey for a number of years now, too old to remember how many!

My very supportive husband and I retired to Geraldine 10 years ago, from a farming background in the Catlins. We have four amazing adult children, who with their husbands and wife have given us 10 amazing grandchildren, and my how we love them all. They are the best family in the whole wide world!!

Crafts I'm addicted to?
Hand crafts have always been a major part of my life ( the hands work much better than the brain!!) Patch working would be my first love but card making is not far behind, having been involved with it now for approximately 30 years. Although having tried various avenues, like scrap booking, off the page projects etc, I still seem to revert back to cards but I must admit I do enjoy viewing all the lovely projects that are produced by some very talented ladies and men.

My style would be classed as OTT to some people. I love the vintage look, fussy, with lots of flowers bling etc. I do enjoy making different folding cards and interactive ones.

Where do I find inspiration?
Inspiration is found wherever one looks and there is so much talent out there. Just by looking at some of the beautiful papers for sale now, can stimulate my creative juices. Pinterest would be my favourite go-to site to see all the wonderful projects that are made by some talented ladies. A big thanks to Pinterest.

My favourite companies...
I would have to say Kaisercraft is one of my all time favourite companies and they have been so very good to me, even to calling a collection after me. Betsy's Couture is stunning and is still a firm favourite with me. I just had to share a card here made with collection - don't you agree it's fabulous?

Graphic 45 brings out some gorgeous ranges - I just collect it and do find it very hard to cut into. No doubt, some of you ladies can relate to that one as well! Bo Bunny, Prima, Couture Creations - there is just too many to name. Think I may be addicted to all things pretty! Another of my addictions would have to be dies - it is very hard to resist all the lovely ones that come onto the market, my mind goes into overdrive when I see a new one in the shop, as Juanita would verify!

As usual, I am looking forward to another year with Liz and Graham ( they're more like another son and daughter now!! ) at Artfull Crafts, sharing it with an amazing Design Team.

Thursday, March 10, 2016

I'm returning this year to the team, but this time as a Guest Designer. Last year was the year from hell health wise for our family and it meant I had little time or energy for creating. When Liz asked me back this year I thought I need to do this better(!), and guest designing will give me so much time to prepare and hopefully there will be no more surgeries in my family this year! ;)

Where do I hide?
Forbes and I - yes that is my husbands name ;) - live in Woodend just outside Christchurch with our two four legged furry babies, Dougal and McKenzie :) I also work as a nurse in a busy general surgery/colorectal ward. If I'm not at work or hiding out in the craft room, you will either find me out in the garden or buried in a book, or pinterest lol - such a treasure trove of ideas there!

Crafting Addiction
I've been doing some sort of craft as far back as I can remember, like tapestry, cross stitch and embroidery. Unfortunately I can't sew to save myself and I so wish I could! I started making cards back in 2001 and that was all I was going to do. I was never going to go scrapbooking let alone layouts! Never say never ;) I went from cards to OTP and a long time later I went to layouts but I much prefer OTP, lately though that seems to have morphed into mini albums.

Tutoring opportunities
And as some of you may know I'm on the BoBunny Design Team which I absolutely love. They are truly a wonderful company to work for and Im lucky to be on my third term with them.
I also teach twice a year at Glentui Retreat and this past weekend I taught for the first time Liz's Stavely Card Camp - it was so much fun!!

So what inspires me?
Lots of things I have to say :) I love heritage style collections, but lately I've been swinging towards brights when I never used to. I'm a bit of a nutter about fussy cutting, I love it which is fascinating because I'm the most impatient person on the planet! lol and that makes Graphic 45 one of my favourite companies. I have a bit of an addiction to dies and chipboard as well ;) In the last year I've got right into mixed media, but I would still say I'm a novice at it - I'd love to aspire to the likes of Marta Lapkowska or Annar-Moje Pasje they are some of my favourites. I guess you could say my taste is all over the place because I love Amazing Paper Grace, Heartfelt Creations, Di Garling and Paula Cheney - so yes there's a wide range of things that inspire me :)